All posts by Michael Sabrio

bicycles, Ghana, Sewing Partners

P4P in Ghana: WEBike, OKURASE, Sew for Sisterhood

WEBike

For Pedals for Progress to get our bicycles to the smallest towns at the end of the road where the need for them is greatest, we need to find a local partner organization that has robust distribution potential. While most of our overseas partners are nonprofits, in a few instances we have chosen to work with effective for-profit organizations. Wright Enterprises is one of these.

Wright Enterprises is a for-profit company that imports consumer goods into Ghana. They have organized and maintain a supply chain across a very large swath of the countryside in order to bring all manner of goods to the small merchants who serve the needs of the local populations. Over the years, the merchants they supplied consistently requested bicycles for their customers, but importing bikes never proved cost-effective. After purchasing them abroad, then adding tariff and transportation costs, the final retail price of their bikes was too high for their end customers. The numbers simply didn’t make sense for them.

Then, in 2006, they contacted Pedals for Progress for assistance. Traditionally, we work with non-profit organizations. For a number of reasons, for-profit partners are usually unsuitable, but working with Wright Enterprises offered us a unique opportunity. As a commercial entity, they can get containers in-country easier because they bypass much of the red tape that keeps many non-profit groups from being effective. Most importantly, though, by partnering with them we gain access to many, many small markets we would otherwise not be able to reach.

For their part, Wright Enterprises established WEBike to distribute P4P bikes at little to no profit for themselves. As good businessmen, they realize that by supplying affordable transportation to their customers, those customers are able to earn more money and buy more of their merchandise. They have proven to be an extremely effective partner. While their main facilities are in Ghana’s capital, Accra, their supply networks extend through Accra’s populous suburbs, up the Volta River, and all along the Cape Coast.

ghanaOkraselinks

Project OKURASE

The purpose of Project OKURASE (Opportunity, Knowledge, Understanding, Renewed Health, Arts-Based, Skills Training and Education) is to address the HIV/AIDS crisis in Ghana by helping vulnerable and orphaned children who are impacted by HIV/AIDS in their family and their village. Click here to read the article on OKURASE in the Fall 2009 INGEAR.

Click here for the Project OKURASE facebook page.

Sew for Sisterhood

P4P is collaborating with the GO Fund to help support Sew for Sisterhood in Ghana. This is a true combined effort: the GO Fund supplies the trainers in the field while we supply the hardware. We are already planning our next joint venture in Kenya.

ghanaSewingClassIMG_1880 ghanaSewingMachinesOnHeadsIMG_1946
bicycles, Nicaragua

Letter from Happy Customers in Rivas, Nicaragua

 

Dear P4P,

I just wanted to take a moment and share with you our experience and say thanks for Pedals 4 Progress. For much of 2007 and nearly all of 2008 my wife and I served as volunteer missionaries (in other words we paid all of our own expenses) in the vicinity of Rivas, Nicaragua. We were on a tight budget and very quickly we found ourselves in need of some bicycles. As you are probably aware, the only options in Nicaragua are either super expensive mediocre brands sold in Managua, or horrible quality Chinese manufactured bikes that are sold for anywhere between $50 to $100. It wasn’t long before EcoBicicletas became our new best friend. Both ourselves, our fellow volunteer missionaries, and our local Nicaraguan friends in the congregation relied heavily on bicycles for transportation. Pedaling a cheap problematic bike in the hot Nicaraguan sun is no fun. EcoBicicletas allowed us to find a number of quality bikes for around $50. The cool part was also how it helped the local Nicaraguans. Most of them really weren’t familiar with bike brands and basic bike repair so I began buying one or two a month, transporting them to our small town, fixing them up (typically minor repairs) and either selling them for cost or donating them to our Nicaraguan friends. In the process I was able to educate them a little bit about which ones to look for (Trek, Giant, Fuji, etc.) and also share some basic repair knowledge. In 2008 my wife and got pregnant and we have since returned to the states, but I always appreciated the positive impact that I personally felt from Pedals 4 Progress and EcoBicicletas.

Thanks again!

Justin and Beth

bicycles, Nicaragua, Sewing Partners

EcoBicicletas: P4P Partner in Nicaragua

EcoBicicletas (“EcoBici”) is our partner in Nicaragua. EcoBicicletas is located in Rivas, Nicaragua, in the southwestern part of the country between the Pacific Ocean and Lake Nicaragua. Rivas, where we’ve shipped since 1992, is the oldest of our active programs, and we have sent more bikes to Nicaragua—more than 42,000—than to any other location. EcoBici is owned and managed by the Santana family, good friends as well as respected professional partners.

DSCN0913rivasBikeShopTeamGary

EcoBici serves low-income residents in the many small towns of the southern Pacific coast region of Nicaragua, where the terrain is flat and rolling, ideal for cyclists. EcoBici’s “profits” from sales finance small-scale rural community development projects selected and implemented by representative community organizations. These have included the construction of health clinics, schools, community potable-water systems, an infant feeding center, and the planting of community wood lots. EcoBici has also donated P4P-supplied sewing machines and baseball equipment to the José María Moncada School, the Susana López Carazo School, the Nandaime Women’s Center, and the Girasol Women’s sewing co-op on Ometepe Island. Pedals for Progress has placed more than 35% of the adult population of Rivas on wheels, and has created a self-supporting local bicycle import, assembly, and repair business.

  • Click here to read more about the early days of EcoBici.

  • Click here to read more about Karla Santana, the one-woman operation behind EcoBici. She is second from the left in the photo; her son Carlos, who also works at EcoBici, is on the right.
bicycles, Sewing Partners, Uganda

EIT: P4P Partner in Uganda

[As of Summer 2017, the P4P partner in Uganda is the Mityana Open Troop Foundation. The information below refers to our previous partner, the Entrepreneurship Institute of Technology.]

Based in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, the Entrepreneurship Institute of Technology (EIT) is a vocational institute which serves men and women who, for many reasons, could not continue their formal schooling. Our mission is to prepare them for a working life and a bright future. We offer courses in, among other things, tailoring, welding, metal fabrication, bicycle repair, and computer literacy.

In our country, private institutions are among the most important providers of vocational training, accounting for almost half of all such education. A population of skilled workers is essential for any country seeking to reduce poverty and develop an economy strong enough to provide the hope for a better future for its citizens. Vocational schools help establish, sustain, and expand the industries necessary to do this.

But in Uganda there are not enough opportunities for youth to attend quality schools. There are widely differing standards of education. Poor administration and insufficient communication between institutions and the government mean many schools have failed to gain official recognition or attention from the people whom they should be helping. And student payments are the primary means of finance for vocational schools—resulting in high fees that the majority of Ugandans cannot afford.

Bicycles arrive at EIT.
Bicycles arrive at EIT.

EIT (formerly EIAAT, Entrepreneurship Institute of Applied and Appropriate Technology) was established by directors Charles Mulamata and Joyce Kayongo, a married couple who are also involved in other businesses. Their work in metal fabrication, solar and other renewable energies, and energy-efficient stoves helps them afford to run their institute differently than other Ugandan schools.

Another difference is that EIT receives donated containers of second-hand bicycles and sewing machines from Pedals for Progress. The used bicycles are sold at low cost locally. Most of the income is then used to finance the importation of more P4P containers. The surplus money is used to finance the vocational school’s administrative costs and its other development activities.

spring2009ugandaStudents

The sewing machines EIT receives from P4P are used in our school’s tailoring program. A student starts on a machine and learns how to use and maintain it. Students, if interested in their particular machines, have the option to pay for them in small installments as their studies progress. Then, if at the end of the course the sewing machine is fully paid, students can take them away for their future work. In this way students not only learn tailoring but are encouraged to plan and budget for the future, and motivated to care for their sewing machines. Students are introduced, in a practical way, to entrepreneurship.

In addition to our vocational programs, the distribution of bicycles is very important for us. They are more than a means of funding for our school. The benefits to purchasers of our bikes are enormous. The bikes are sold at low price and are very useful in Uganda, as we have very poor road conditions which are sometimes impossible to navigate by car. Some of these unreachable areas are left undeveloped because the local population do not have easy means of mobility to go where services are provided, and those services cannot come to them. The increasing cost of fossil fuels also contributes to the demand for alternative means of transport. The bicycle offers easy, low cost, all-weather, all-road, on-demand transportation and is clearly one of the most appropriate technologies for a developing country.

Mission Statement

The Entrepreneurship Institute of Technology (EIT) is an adult education program. Its primary purpose is the advancement of job creation and skilled worker education. Its goals are:

  • To attempt to enhance the income generating capacity of the graduates through the teaching of specific technical work-related skills
  • To provide on going consultation in small business development to the skilled craftsmen trained
  • To help create more economic prosperity for the Ugandan society in general and the region at large
  • To offer opportunities for all to train themselves for a skilled career
  • To offer the pride of self-sufficiency
  • To acquaint the students to the various job creation opportunities available
  • It shall act to promote school activities and that increase the students’ interest in job growth, education, personal growth and civic affairs.
  • It shall be non-denominational with no bias to race, religion, gender or political affiliation.

Click here for a 2011 report on EIT.

bicycles, Collectors

A Letter from the Heartland

by Tim Weitzel
Fall 2010 InGear

Spring 2010 collection in Dubuque
Spring 2010 collection in Dubuque

Hello to everyone from the Heartland of America—Dubuque, Iowa to be exact. Dubuque is an old river town of about 62,000 people situated on the banks of the Mississippi River. I suppose many of you would think of Iowa as flat as a pancake, but Dubuque’s topography is more similar to San Francisco than to the Great Plains.

I first talked to Dave Schweidenback four years ago. In 2006, after roughly five years of “thinking about it,” I decided to try in some small way to “help someone.” My daughter, Erica, had returned from Haiti in 2002 with horrific stories of poverty and the immense transportation problems of that island. Being an avid road bicyclist, I had 3 or 4 “extra” bikes in my garage. My plan was to collect a few more and send them to a Catholic missionary in Port au Paix. I now laugh at how naïve I was. By the time I looked up, I had 30 bikes in my garage with no idea what to do next. Over coffee, a good friend of mine said simply, “Why don’t you check the internet? Somebody is probably already doing that.” And of course they were!

Bikes arrive at the collection site
Bikes arrive at the collection site

I called a phone number at Pedals for Progress and some guy named Dave answered. We talked for a long time, and though I wasn’t sure he liked me, I needed to get rid of “my bikes.” My next problems were determining how I would get them to New Jersey and how much would I have to pay. I kind of remember Dave saying something about $10.00 a bike, which meant something like $300.00, plus shipping to New Jersey. I soon learned the economics of philanthropy! But, like super heroes, Ding Bell, Jack Blosch, John Markham, Paul Schultz, Tim Hodge, the Dubuque Noon Optimists, the Dubuque Bike Club, and Joe Bitter burst onto the scene. Almost overnight, it seems now, I went from a one-man show to a well oiled, yet still somewhat unorganized, group of dedicated bike collectors.

We still scramble for money, but things always seem to work out. We often talk and dream about how to collect more bikes or how to get them to New Jersey and beyond more efficiently. I see no turning back now. Our immediate goal is to continue to organize and plan for future collections.

Processing a child's bike for shipment to P4P
Processing a child’s bike for shipment to P4P

When Dave asked me to write this article about Pedals for Progress presence in Dubuque, I was proud, humbled, and a bit surprised. Proud, because I really believe we have helped lift families out of poverty and made their lives a bit easier. Humbled, because I am just a small part of the Dubuque operation: much, much credit goes to the unsung volunteers, the Dubuque Noon Optimists, Dubuque Bike Club, Jack Blosch, Ding Bell, and my father, George Weitzel. Surprised, because when I started out four years ago I envisioned collecting 50 bikes at the most. We currently have collected 1663 bikes and I am constantly amazed at the community support we receive. Finally, above all, I am thankful to Dave Schweidenback for trusting someone from half a country away whom he has never met, and to all the donors who continue to bring in their bikes.

Moldova, Sewing Partners

Letter from Dolinta Mihaela, Moldova

Fall 2010 InGear

Dear Pedals for Progress,

2010fallmoldovaDolinta

The Milesian philosopher Thales said that one of the very difficult things for men was “to know oneself.” But I also think it’s one of the most rewarding. We discover new sides of our personalities trying new things and learning new skills. These experiences help us look forward to new goals. That’s why it’s so important to try every opportunity to know yourself. At Consult-Nord’s sewing center I’ve had the opportunity to improve my sewing skills—and I found the experience beautiful. I always wanted to be a designer and create my own clothes and I’ve been able to make my dream come true. I didn’t need to become an expert to create clothing, I only needed the desire and inspiration of knowing how splendid it is to wear clothes you’ve made by yourself. But I also think the sewing center is more than simply a place to pursue an interest. It’s helping to meet a real need we have nowadays. Not everyone has the chance to buy a sewing machine in order to make or repair garments, so in this case the center provides a practical solution.

These sewing classes helped me a lot in improving my skills and now I’m sewing my own garments. That’s amazing, isn’t it? I feel myself very lucky because I learned to sew and I am thankful to all those people who implemented this project. Thanks a lot for helping people to realize their dreams!

Dolinta Mihaela, 12th grade student

Moldova, Sewing Partners

Letter from Pripa Elena, Moldova

Fall 2010 InGear

Dear Pedals for Progress,

2010fallMoldovaPripa

I am a 15-year-old girl from Pelinia, Moldova, and trying to choose the way of my future. Frankly speaking, I was confused and didn’t know where to continue my studies. But now, after attending the “Art of Sewing” courses organized in our village by Consult-Nord, I know for sure that I will be a dressmaker. These courses were of great help to me, and my friends too. First, because we teenagers from the village are not so lucky as those from the cities, we don’t have the possibilities they do. Second, the courses were free.

We were satisfied here because we have learnt a lot of interesting things starting with the fabrics’ structure, taking measurements, and finishing with performing certain operations in sewing. We were given knowledge about the sewing process from start to finish. I sewed myself a nice dress and after I finished the courses my parents bought me the very machine I had worked on. I hope to make my parents happy sewing for them, too.

In conclusion, on behalf of the girls who attended the courses, I want to thank you for your kindness. I greatly appreciate you helping me reach my goals.

Pripa Elena, 9th grade student

Albania, bicycles

Programii Alternativave Sociale Stimuluese, Tirana, Albania

Fall 2010 InGear

P1240012webPASS (Programii Alternativave Sociale Stimuluese, Social Stimulating Alternative Programme), located in the Albanian capital city Tirana, was established in 2002 with the goal of encouraging community action and raising public awareness of local social and environmental issues. Some of their activities include operating the Welcoming Center for Families in Need, involving local residents in resolving community problems through their Volunteer Action Movement, supporting the AKSES Program to foster the education and employment of rural youth, and facilitating youth community engagement through the Civil Youth Project.

Albania is a small country, approximately the size of Maryland, on the Adriatic coast of the Balkan Peninsula. After the Second World War it was isolated from the rest of the world by a xenophobic, Stalinist government. For decades Albanians, mostly Muslim, experienced purges, economic hardship and underdevelopment, political and civil repression, and the total ban on religious observance.

Its long isolation contributed to Albania’s status as one of the poorest nations in Europe. In 2008 its per capita income was less than $4000 a year and the official unemployment rate was over 12%. Remittances from Albanian workers abroad make up almost 10% of the country’s economy; with the recent crises with the global financial system and with the Euro, these remittances have fallen dramatically.

PASS works with the most marginalized populations of Albania, primarily rural dwellers and ethnic minorities. These are the people who suffered most under the Communist regime and the recent decline in remittances, and who were mostly ignored by the liberalization of the past two decades. The rate of unemployment and lack of education among this population is very high.

With help from Pedals for Progress, PASS plans to establish a Tirana Community Bicycle program. Not only will this provide jobs for workers maintaining and managing the community bicycles, but the bikes themselves will help reduce the social and economic isolation of suburban and rural communities by providing dedicated transportation from the margins of Tirana to the center. An additional effect of the program will be to raise awareness among citizens of the bicycle as a fun, healthy, and environmentally sound method of transportation.

PASS facebook page

Ecovolis bike-sharing program

bicycles, Nicaragua

P4P Recipient Spotlight: Eliseo Perez, Nicaragua

Spring 2010 InGear

Name: Eliseo Perez
Age: 16 years
Parents: Cristobal Manuel Perez y Catalina Valverde
Born in: Diriamba Carazo, Nicaragua
School: Colegio la Palmera
Completed 3rd grade of elementary school
Family: 4 brothers

2010springNicaraguaEliseo

Meet Eliseo Perez. When he was very young, he was diagnosed with leukemia and doctors discovered a brain tumor. Not only could he not ride a bicycle, but he could only walk with the aid of a cane. As he got older, and with treatment, his condition improved. At the age of ten, he stopped using the cane and began to play, ride a bicycle, and play soccer. His doctors told him he should not play sports due to his illness, but his poor health could not keep him from being an active teenager. Once he started biking regularly his health improved—the exercise helped his body develop. His bicycle became much more than a means of transport; it gave him his life back. The use of the bicycle gave him the opportunity to develop the potential of employment. He now works as a gardener, so he can contribute financially to the family income. What a difference a bike can make.